Vapor tower



March 27; 1928. I 1,664,237

' H." A. WlER VAPOR TOWER FiledFeb. 2. 19 26 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WIT" m AMEY March 21, 1928.

H. A. WIER VAPOR TOWER Filed Feb. 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 f/arzy/is/zlqy M'er I ffff I WITNES%%MW Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES HARRY ASHLEY WIER. or DALLAS, 'rnxas.

VAPOR TOWER.

Application filed February 2, 1926. Serial No. 85,600.

My present invention has reference to a vapor tower which embodies a method and means for condensing and purifying high volatile vapors.

For a full and comprehensive understanding of my improvement reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification.

In. the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im provement.

Figure 2 is an enlarged central transverse sectional View through the tower.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

the numeral 1 designates the dome of a still. The oil vapors from the still find an outlet through a vapor-line pipe 2 connected to the dome. The longitudinal pipe of the vapor line is arranged at an upward inclination and is coupled to a depending vertical pipe which in turn is coupled to a short pipe that enters the tower 3. This pipe is in turn coupled to a vertically arranged pipe 4 that is disposed centrally in the tower 3. Thus the'vapors are directed into the tower and are trapped in a sleeve 5 that surrounds the pipe 4. The sleeve has a closed upper end, and its lower and open end is welded or otherwise secured to a perforated baflle late 6 which preferably has a flanged perip ery that is fixed to the inner wall of the tower at a suitable distance from the bottom thereof. The baflie plate or disc 6 serves as a support for the sleeve 5. i

The vapors are transmitted upwardly through the spaced COl'lVOlLltiOHS of the conical portions 7 of a tube 8. 1n the showing of the drawings the conical portions of the tube 8 are seven in number, but, of course, the tube 8 may have its con'mlutions gradually widened to provide any desired number of spaced conical portions. The conical portions 7 provide receptacles or baskets in which there may be placed a suitable absorbent agent 10, such as porous rock, iron ore, charred coal or any like agent which will act as a scrubber, desulphurizer, deodorizer, purifier, and catalytic, whereby the impurities and foreign matter will be absorbed as the vapors are through such agent. i

The multiple coiled tube maybe used as a heat exchanger by pumping oil into said tubeat the top of the tower, where the end 11 of the said tube enters and the forcing of such oil through the end tube to the bot transmitted tom of the tower and thence upwardly through the lower straightbranch 12 of the tube, its vertical extensions 13 and its horizontal extensions 14; through the outlet end of steel shavings, mesh wire, steel wool or other suitable material which acts as a retarding agent and catalytic. The oil is further forced through the downwardly extending tubular member 16 which is coupled to a pipe 17 that has its passage controlled by a valve 18, the portion of the tube belowthe said pipe 17, being also controlled by a valve 19. This valve 19 is closed and the valve 18 opened so that the oil will flow into the still, or the same may be directed into a storage tank by closing the valve 18 and opening the valve 19.

By a method and means as above set forth it will be noted that the oil pumped into the coil through its end 11, constitutes a cooling medium which is transmitted downwardly and comes into contact with the hot vapors in an upward trend, thereby absorbing such heat as may be consistent with the cooling oil passing therethrough and further condensing such high boiling point hydro-carbon vapors in proportion to such volume of cold oil put through said tube, thereby cans ing a distinct separation of the high boiling point vapors from that of the low boiling point vapors. This causes the low boiling point vapors to continue their ascension free of a portion, at least, of such heavy impurL ties and foreign matters that are of low volatile nature and such portions carried back with the condensate of the high boiling point hydro-carbon vapors to the point of exit in the bottom of the tower 3. This is accomplished by providing the bottom of the tower with a pipe 20 coupled to a horizontal pipe 21 that leads to the still. passage through the pipe 21 is controlled by valves 22 and 23, respectively. The condensate may be converted into an absorbent agent by closing the valve 23 and opening the valve 22, closing valve 30 and valve 29 and thus directing the condensate into an arched by-pass 24 that is coupled to the pipe 21. The condensate passes through the by- The ; vapors and freeing stich vapo'rs from a large per cent of impurities'and foreign matters contained therein and which have a ten-ti one ,to produce a low quality product. The hig 11y volatile vapors being freed from for eign matters andimpurities are trahsmitjted upwardly with greater dispatch, since they are relieved of high boiling. point hydrocarbons, by reason of the condensation pro- Vduced by vapors coming into ooht act with said liquids in the bottoni of the tower. The highly volat-ilev'apors pass upwardly into the top or the tower and outthroug'h a va per line 25 into condenser coils 26 and from such 'cfoils to the run down tank's.

1 With the employment of my improved tower, the cost of manufacturing gasoline and" light oils is greatly reduced as-with my improvement the employment of sulphuric acid, 'oaiist'ic sodaandother such expensive chemicals generally required in the treatment of gasoline and light oils is entirely eliminated.

Further with my improvement a great re duction in the cost of equipment is obtained as the use of the vapor tower eliminates expense required in building and fabricating a heat exchanger, and therefore the tower answers a two-iold urpose, a's'tlie crude oil or chafr'g'iii g stock is charged to the stills throughthecoiiical'oi basket portions oi" the tube in continuous process" of operation and the charging", stock is then brought to a high ten'i'pei'ature which n'iakes for saving 1n i'uel oil and in time, inasmuch very little additional heat, is required tobring the charging stock to a temperature oi vaporization,

A gage 27 is arranged on one side of the tower between the bottom thereof and the lower filtering screen 9 so that the level of the liquid in the tewer .1nay be at all times ascertained. The to 28 or the tower is re- Inovable, the same being bolted to a flange on the tower, there being a vapor proof gasket ring betwe'eh the flanged top of the tower.

The pipe 20, at a point below the pipe 21, has its passage controlled a hand operated valve 29'. The pipe 21 alsocominuhic'at'es with the pipe' 25, and this portion of the said pipe 21 has its passage controlled by .a valve 30. t n y N I Havingdescribed the invention, I claim 1. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, a vapor tewer, means for directing va-- por into the bottom of the tower, means in the tower for directing the vapor first in an upward direction therein, then in a downward direction, and then in a further upward direction to the top of the tower, means for subjecting the vapor in its last mentioned course, to a scrubbing-and a catalytic action, means for filtering the vaporin its last mentioned course,'means for subjecting the vapor to the action of a cooling agent iii last mentioned course and means for direb-t ing the purified vapor from the tower.

2. In an apparatus for the pur ose set forth, a vapor tower, iii'eaiis iorf irebtirig the va or into the bottom of the tower, means in the tower for directing thevap'o'l first in an upward direction therein, then; in a (l'OWIllitlICl direction, and then in a further upward direction to the top of the tower, means for subjecting the vapor in its last mentioned coursetoa scrubbing and seatalyt-io action, means for filtering the vap r. in its last mentionedcourse, means fhir subs jecting the vapor to the action of a ckjoliiig agent in its last mentioned course, meansfordirecting the purified vapor from the tower, means for directing the coiideiisatefroin the vapors out of the tower and meansfor' Inaiil taining a level of condensate in tower so as to cause the condensate to serve as'ali absorbent agent for the vapors to s arate.

from the vapors oflbv'v boiling point those of high boilingpoiiit, and means fer directing the vapors from the tower,

3. In an apparatus for the purpose set; forth, a vapor tower, a vapor-c'ondiibting pipe entering the lower, portibriof the tower and extending upwardly in the center oi the! tower, at capped sleeve in the tower shrrounding but spaced from the said vap'or conducting pipe, a screen tame iii thetow'er' providing a support for the l'oi" er, and open end of the sleeve, and said ba e Being dis posed above the bottom of the t oit'er, sai

having a combined absorbing agent, des t phurizer, deodoriz'er and cat lytic therein be low each of the filtering me" iiiiiis, ,a tube iii the tower andhaving spaced conieal 'ortion's which serve as baskets for the desiilp iliriifer,

therefrom, a perforated this pliite in the l tower having spaced filtering Ined'i'ui'ns and tube comprising a continuous member havmg inlet and outlet branches arranged at the top of the tower, and having oppositely disposed vertical branches arranged at the sides of the tower and horizontal branches con- 10 necting said vertical branches, the lowermost of said horizontal branches merging into a coil which is arranged around the sleeve, said coil throughout the length thereof and below the respective horizontal branches having conical coils providing baskets for a scrubbing agent, and the horizontal branches of the tube aiding as supports for filters.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY ASHLEY l/VIER. 

